Getting a competitive kick out of hacky sack

Want to see people kick around the footbag (often referred to by the product name of hacky sack), and do it extremely well? Then head down to the Washington Athletic Club between noon and 6 p.m. Sunday for the US Open Footbag Championships. Admission is free.

The competition involves all levels and will have preliminary rounds on Saturday. The final round begins at about 1 p.m. Sunday on the eighth floor of the club. There will be time carved out for workshops for anyone who wants to learn the sport or hone skills.

Seattle’s Justin Dale (pictured), one of the nation’s best at footbagging, will be there.

“Many people do not realize that there is an entire sport behind their little pastime of kicking the bag around in a circle with their friends,” Dale says. “Those of us that make the transition though, all started in this same place.”

Dale and others at Rain City Shred pass along knowledge about the sport just about every Wednesday and Sunday. To learn more, contact his group at raincityshred@gmail.com.